


“Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world..."

by aveng1ng



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Canon Divergence - Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Clint Barton Is a Good Bro, F/M, Fix-It, Fix-it fic, Marvel Universe, capwidow - Freeform, romanogers - Freeform, sorry that this is mostly dialogue?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-02
Updated: 2018-06-02
Packaged: 2019-05-17 02:11:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14823227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aveng1ng/pseuds/aveng1ng
Summary: “Well, you know,” Natasha began, drumming her fingers on the counter, “there is someone I’ve had my eyes on for a while now.”The bar scene in Age of Ultron but Steve is the one who approaches Natasha and Clint tells Steve to pursue his feelings.





	“Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world..."

**Author's Note:**

> Well...this is about three years late.  
> I personally felt like this scene in the movie was SO much better suited for Steve and Natasha. I mean just the whole vibe with the 40s-movie-sounding dialogue and the brass instrumental in the background...just wow.
> 
> [Title and quotes from Casablanca (1942)]
> 
> Enjoy!

The party in Avengers Tower was winding down.  More than half of the guests had already left.  There were empty bottles and cups strewn across every table, along with crumpled up napkins and toothpicks that had earlier pierced various foodstuffs.  Friends were picking up drunken, almost-passed-out friends and dragging them to the elevator. 

It’s not like Steve didn’t _enjoy_ Tony’s parties; he was just never into how big they were.  He preferred the quiet evenings when it was just the team and him drinking and chatting over having to mingle with twenty or more people he didn’t know and would probably never see again.  Something that did make this party more enjoyable than others was the fact that Thor had brought a flask of Asgardian mead. 

Steve actually felt a bit buzzed from the small amount of mead that Thor had dropped into his drink.  _Thank God._   It made the mingling of the rest of the evening so much easier.  Steve was sure that if he was able to drink at least a whole bottle of that stuff, he’d probably get mildly drunk.  He made a mental note to ask Thor for a whole bottle or two when he goes back to Asgard.

Now Steve was alone with no one to talk to.  Thor was all the way across the room, charming a small group of guests.  Sam had already left a while earlier (he had to be up early for some meeting the next day).  Steve looked around the spacious room and saw Natasha, who was making herself a martini at the bar.  She was already finishing up, garnishing it with a few olives.  He realized that he hadn’t talked to her all night, so he figured he should at least say hello to her at some point.   

He began making his way over to her.  He wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol talking but, _damn_ , she looked beautiful.  The bar counter and the wall behind her cast this soft warm light on her, and God, she was breathtaking.  She was absolutely ethereal. 

Natasha quickly glanced at him and then turned around to procure a bottle.  As she poured its contents into a glass, he saw what it was.  A whisky neat—his go-to drink. 

“Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, you walk into mine,” she quoted, sliding the glass across the counter. 

“Finally,” Steve laughed, “a movie reference from my time.”  He took a sip.

“So, no date for tonight?” she mused, proceeding to sip her own drink.  “Still waiting for that perfect someone to come around?”

“I could ask you the same thing.  About a date, at least.”

“Well, you know,” Natasha began, drumming her fingers on the counter, “there is _someone_ I’ve had my eyes on for a while now.”

_Oh._

“He’s actually a coworker.”

So another Avenger?  This was getting interesting.

“Care to tell me more about him?” he asked out of curiosity.  Alright, maybe his tone was tinged with a little jealousy.  Just a little.

“Sure.  Well, he’s a really honest guy.  Heart of gold.  Would probably never hurt a fly but can knock out five men in two seconds.  He’s always in shape and _never_ a bad sight to look at.  He’s a bit old-fashioned sometimes, but I find it endearing.  I’m glad to call him my friend as well, a good one at that.  And he’s, to say the least, pretty patriotic.” She took another sip of her drink, raising her eyebrows at him.  Her signature smirk appeared as she set down the glass.

_Oh._

So this was the game she was playing.

Up until now he was never entirely sure if Natasha had any feelings for him.  This pretty much confirmed it.  But at the same time, he thought she could have still been joking.  Would she really take a joke this far?

“You sure there’s really no one special in your life right now?” she prodded once more. “Still not taking any of the girls I suggest?”

He decided to play along.  “Now that you mention it,” Steve said, leaning on the counter, “I suppose there is someone.  Someone you haven’t suggested whom I’m particularly fond of.”

“I'm intrigued.  Do tell.”

“She’s also a coworker and a close friend.  Excellent at her job.  Taught me how to be better at mine, too.  I’m constantly amazed by her, and, truthfully, a bit intimidated by her sometimes.  And after, oh what’s it been, three years now of working with her, I know that she does have a softer side, and I think I’ve seen it before a couple times.”

He saw Natasha bite her bottom lip and shake her head.

The Asgardian alcohol had clearly taken its toll.  He couldn’t believe that he was actually admitting this to her face.

Natasha pursed her lips for a moment before clearing her throat: “So what’s stopping you from asking her out then? I mean, you speak so highly of her.”

“You know, just the usual ‘I don’t want to complicate our friendship’ thing, I guess,” he answered, shrugging his shoulders.  “What about you?”

“Same thing, I suppose.  I think he and I have a good thing going right now you know? And up until _very_ recently I didn’t really know how he felt.  Or maybe I was in denial.  The Black Widow, having a fear of rejection,” Natasha scoffed.  She rolled her eyes and sipped her drink.

“No, I totally get it.  I was rejected by girls left and right before the serum.”

“With a physique like yours now, I’m still surprised that you don’t have women lined up around the block,” she said eyeing him.  Was she checking him out right now? He could swear she was. “Anyways, I’m not even sure if I should even go for it.  I’ve never been much of a relationship type person.”  She paused for a moment.  “But, hypothetically, what if the girl you admire so much did reciprocate your sentiments? What then?” She smirked once more.

“Then there’s a good chance that I might just go for it,” he smiled.

 _“Natasha!”_ he heard Maria call from across the room.  Steve turned around and saw her motioning for Natasha to go over to her. 

Natasha nodded at Maria, acknowledging her.  “Looks like I’m needed elsewhere,” Natasha stated.  She picked up her drink and proceeded to leave the counter. 

“Nat, wait.”

“Yeah?”

“For all your future existent or nonexistent romantic endeavors, here’s looking at you, kid.” He held up his glass, giving her a sheepish smile.

She smiled back at him, held up her glass, and took a drink: “I’ll see you later, Steve.” And with that, she left.

“You guys are so lame,” a voice called out from the stairs near the bar.  Steve turned and saw Clint descending the steps.  “Just get a room already.”

“I beg your pardon?” _Just play it cool, Steve._ How much could he have actually seen?

“Cut the crap, Cap.  Don’t think I didn’t see and hear the majority of that exchange, which, quite frankly, physically pained me to endure,” he quipped, grabbing a beer from an ice chest behind the counter.  “All jokes aside, it’s nice, what you guys have.”

“What we have?”  Steve could feel his palms growing sweaty.

“That was some genuine, hardcore flirting right there, man.  From both parties.  You could’ve cut the sexual tension in here with a knife.”

“But isn’t that just how Natasha is though?”

“Hey, man, you flirted back too. See, I pegged you as a bit ignorant about women, but I didn’t think you were _that_ blind,” he laughed.  “Look, I know you’ve been her partner for a few years, but I’ve known her longer,” Clint stated.  He stepped closer to Steve.  “She doesn’t get close to just _anyone,_ Cap.  You’re special to her.  I can clearly see that.  And Tasha, well, sometimes she just needs a push to really—excuse how corny I sound—follow her heart.”  Clint grabbed his beer bottle and started to make his way back to what was left of the party.  “You’re a good guy, Steve, and I approve of this 100 percent.  You have my blessing.  I think you guys both deserve to be happy.  With each other.” He patted Steve’s shoulder and departed.

“Thanks…I guess,” Steve called out.  Clint turned around momentarily and gave him a thumbs up.

Steve gulped down what remained of his whisky.  He watched Natasha across the room chatting with Maria, martini in hand. 

He figured that he just might go for it.  Soon enough. 


End file.
